COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NATION : Iowa State’s Walden to Step Down

Iowa State Coach Jim Walden, whose team is winless this year, said Thursday night that he will resign at the end of the season.

Walden, in his eighth season as the Cyclones’ coach, said he was making the announcement now to give the university a jump on finding a new coach.

Iowa State (0-7-1) finishes the season against three ranked teams--No. 15 Kansas State, No. 1 Nebraska and No. 7 Colorado.

Walden had said he expected to be fired after the Colorado game on Nov. 19. He has three years left on his contract but said in a statement released by the university that he did not seek or receive a financial offer to resign early.

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Omari Walker ran for two touchdowns and Mark Hartsell passed for two and Boston College came up with four turnovers in a 35-14 victory over Louisville on Thursday night at Louisville.

Boston College (5-2-1) scored three touchdowns after turnovers by Louisville (5-4), two coming in the second quarter after fumbles by Anthony Shelman that helped the Eagles build a 21-0 lead.

Shelman, who hadn’t lost a fumble this season, mishandled the ball at the Boston College seven and strong safety Eric Shorter recovered it with 11:34 to play in the half.

Boston College then drove 93 yards in eight plays, scoring on Justice Smith’s two-yard run around right end with 7:11 to play in the half.

Shelman fumbled again on Louisville’s next possession, this time at the Cardinal 48. Nose guard Tim Morabito recovered and, eight plays later, Hartsell passed eight yards to Pete Mitchell for a 21-0 advantage.

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Alcorn State quarterback Steve McNair, reacting to a call to distance himself from Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice’s Heisman Trophy support, says he has no intention of getting sacked between a governor and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Fordice sent letters last month to Heisman voters urging them to support McNair, a record-setting quarterback from Alcorn.

“You must not allow the governor to exploit you for his own electoral gains by creating a national image that he is supportive of African American opportunity for high achievement,” Jackson told the quarterback in a letter dated Oct. 26 and faxed to news organizations Thursday.

Fordice spokeswoman Johnna Vann said that Jackson, not the governor, was using McNair for political reasons.

“It’s sad to see Jesse Jackson attempted to politicize an effort on behalf of the state’s leader to help a fellow Mississippian achieve the recognition that he strongly deserves,” Vann said.

Said McNair: “I don’t have any comment on that. My main goal is to play football and get prepared to play on the next level. Everybody has their opinion, I thank those that support me and I don’t worry about those that don’t support me.”

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Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks, a finalist in 1993, is among four finalists for the Lombardi Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate lineman. The others are defensive end Tedy Bruschi of Arizona, defensive tackle Warren Sapp of Miami and offensive tackle Zach Weigert of Nebraska. . . . Miami running back James Stewart, sidelined the last two games because of a sprained left ankle, expects to play Saturday when the fifth-ranked Hurricanes visit No. 10 Syracuse.